Tuskers take opener 13-5 vs. Iona behind Bath's Grand Slam

Hershfield delivers a pitch.

I'm just getting the word on this now, so sorry for the brevity of this post:

The Somers Tuskers kicked off their 2011 baseball season today with a 13-5 win over the Iona Prep Gales today, powered behind sophomore Joe Scambia's third inning home run and senior third baseman Zach Bath's (2-4) fourth inning grand slam. Senior Nick Hershfield, who started for the Tuskers, pitched 5.2 innings of three run baseball, none of which were earned. As well, junior Dan Ishoo flashed the leather with some eye-opening plays in left field. Senior catcher Rob Tomasulo also had a productive day at the plate, going 2-4 with a single, double and an RBI.

Catcher Rob Tomasulo, who was crucial in the win today.

A smiling Bath rounds the bases.

The slam really turned things around for Bath, who had a bad day in the infield.

"Not my best day in the field. Since up to that point I was 0-2 with those two errors, I tried not to allow the defense to transfer to the offense, and I knew that in the two previous at-bats that I had been pulling out with my shoulder and hadn't let the ball travel. I focused on that in the two next at-bats. It was a 2-1 count of all fastballs, and I knew the pitchers wouldn't throw an off-speed pitch at 2-1, so I geared up for the fastball and was able to get on top of it enough, even though it was around my letter," said a cheerful Bath after the game.

It's all added up to a well-deserved, power-struck win for the Tuskers. Catch them tomorrow as they take on Lakeland-Panas @ 4:00 PM at Lakeland!

(photo credit to Rob DiAntonio / North County News)